CALDWELL, Idaho — A heated debate unfolded Monday between city and county officials over the future of a vacant dirt lot next to the county fairgrounds, with both sides expressing differing views on how to proceed.
“I just feel like the meeting didn't flow for a leadership standard the way I would've liked to have seen,” Caldwell City Economic Development Director Steve Jenkins said at the opening of the meeting, which aimed to address tensions following last month’s discussions among county commissioners.
While the city plans to move forward with a proposal for a new hotel on the lot, the county remains opposed to the project.
“Do you really want to go there?” said Commissioner Brad Holton highlighting the friction between the two entities.
Commissioner Leslie Van Beek said a city council member emailed her in early December to request a meeting with all council members and commissioners. However, after the mayor backed out, only two council members attended, prompting the commissioners to proceed with their meeting regardless.
“Let’s just get to the cut,” Commissioner Brad Holton said. “We can go ‘he said, she said’ whatever, but the bottom line is about the health and safety and operations going on in the fair.”
Some technological difficulties in the city’s previous public meeting led commissioners to feel that the council had not properly informed them of updates. A critical point of contention is how the proposed hotel project could impact parking for the county fair.
“This is the city of Caldwell ground; obviously, they are choosing to do whatever they want to do with it. But to try and sell me on a 100-lot hotel when you are taking away 200 parking spots—I don't get your logic,” Holton said.
Commissioner Zach Brooks added, “Why I give two hoots is because that hotel, if it goes in, is going to negatively affect county fair operations and the county taxpayer well in excess of $28,000.”
As it stands, the hotel project is moving forward, underscoring the urgent need for collaboration between the city and county.
“Moving forward, what we intend to do is focus predominantly on city-owned land, and that is what we are going to do,” Jenkins said.
Van Beek expressed a hope for improved communication, emphasizing the need for a better understanding of how the project might affect the county.
“We've had people say they are going to move their animals to the Ada County Fair, so the goal, to answer your question, is to collaborate and come together to work effectively,” she said.
As discussions continue, both sides hope to find common ground for the future development of the area.